Both 32-bit and 64-bit programs should store your data in folders like AppData and ProgramData, and not in any Program Files folder. Programs appear in the Start menu and function normally, no matter where they’re installed.
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Windows automatically installs programs to the correct folder, so you don’t have to think about it. It doesn’t normally matter whether a program’s files are stored in Program Files or Program Files (x86). RELATED: What Is the AppData Folder in Windows? Just note, however, that 64-bit versions of Windows can’t run 16-bit code.
It’s the Program Files folder for programs using the older x86 CPU architecture. The newer 64-bit architecture is referred to as “圆4” instead. “x86” now refers to the pre-64-bit architecture-whether that’s 16-bit or 32-bit. You won’t always see “32-bit” and “64-bit.” Instead, you’ll sometimes see “x86” and “圆4” to refer to these two different architectures. That’s because early computers used the Intel 8086 chip. The original chips were 16-bit, but newer versions became 32-bit. And there would likely be no real standard for where developers installed different versions.
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If Windows used a single folder, the application’s developer would have to have the 64-bit folder install to a different folder to keep them separate. The 32-bit version automatically installs to C:\Program Files (x86), and the 64-bit version automatically installs to the C:\Program Files.
This also helps when a developer creates both 32-bit and 64-bit versions of an application, especially if both need to be installed at once in some situations. With the separate folders, that application won’t be able to find the DLL at all, because the 64-bit version of Microsoft Office would be at C:\Program Files\Microsoft Office and the 32-bit application would be looking in C:\Program Files (x86)\Microsoft Office. However, if you had a 64-bit version of Microsoft Office installed, the application would crash and not function properly. A 32-bit application might go looking for a Microsoft Office DLL file found in C:\Program Files\Microsoft Office and try to load it. Keeping different program files for different CPU architectures separate prevents errors like these from happening.įor example, let’s say Windows just used a single Program Files folder. These 32-bit programs may not be aware that a 64-bit version of Windows even exists, so Windows keeps them away from that 64-bit code.ģ2-bit programs can’t load 64-bit libraries ( DLL files), and could crash if they tried to load a specific DLL file and found a 64-bit one instead of a 32-bit one. This is a compatibility feature designed for old 32-bit programs. The ones in the “C:\Program Files” folder are 64-bit, while the ones in the “C:\Program Files (x86)” folder are 32-bit. That’s why different programs are spread across the two Program Files folders, seemingly at random. On a 64-bit version of Windows, 64-bit programs are stored in the “C:\Program Files” folder and 32-bit programs are stored in the “C:\Program Files (x86)” folder. This contains all your installed programs, all of which are 32-bit. In summary, on a 32-bit version of Windows, you just have a “C:\Program Files” folder.
64-bit programs still use the normal Program Files folder. When you run a 32-bit program on a 64-bit edition of Windows, the WOW64 emulation layer seamlessly redirects its file access from “C:\Program Files” to “C:\Program Files (x86).” The 32-bit program tries to access the Program Files directory and is pointed to the Program Files (x86) folder.